Sensing and actuating means for laundry folder

ABSTRACT

A laundry folder for small pieces in which the pieces are folded at an intermediate point such as the middle, including a pair of sensors spaced along the line of travel of the laundry pieces, each laundry piece engaging the first one of the sensors which starts a slow speed advancement of an actuating element away from a control element, and then engaging the second one of the sensors which starts a fast speed return or retracting movement of the actuating element toward the control element, the latter controlling a folding member for folding the laundry piece at a corresponding position between the ends thereof.

United States Patent Inventor Frederick W. Grantham 152 W. Pico Blvd.,Los Angeles, Calif. 90015 App]. No. 844,505

Filed July 24, 1969 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 545,823, Apr. 25, 1966, now Patent No. 3,462,138,dated Aug. 19, 1969.

SENSING AND ACTUATING MEANS FOR LAUNDRY FOLDER [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,783,994 3/1957 Petre 270/80 PrimaryExaminer-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner- Paul V. Williams Attamey-Paul H. Gallagher ABSTRACT: A laundry folder for small pieces in whichthe pieces are folded at an intermediate point such as the middle,including a pair of sensors spaced along the line of travel of thelaundry pieces, each laundry piece engaging the first one of the sensorswhich starts a slow speed advancement of an actuating element away froma control element, and then engaging the second one of the sensors whichstarts a fast speed return or retracting movement of the actuatingelement toward the control element, the latter controlling a foldingmember for folding the laundry piece at a corresponding position betweenthe ends thereof.

. PATENTED FEBIBIB?! 3563530 I al/W 3 1 PATENIEDEB L619?! sum 3 or 3 I F1 a Nam CROSS REFERENCES U.S. Pat. No, 3,339,914, issued Sept. 5, 1967,to the present inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to laundry foldersfor folding small I pieces such as napkins, hand towels, bath towels,bath mats,

etc. In the manufacture and use of folders of this general type, it isdesired that the folder be adaptable to folding pieces of each of thesekinds, and that it be adaptable to adjustment for each one of thedifferent kinds.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A broad object of the invention is to provide anovel folder adaptable to folding each of a plurality of different kindsof pieces such as those referred to above.

An additional object is to provide a laundry folder for use in foldinglaundry pieces of various sizes such as napkins, towels, bath mats, etc,and having novel construction for folding the pieces according to theirlengths without individual adjustment for the different sizes.

A still further object is to provide a laundry folder of the characterjust referred to in which pieces of different sizes can be folded inrandom order, and the folder is effective for folding each piece at apredetermined position, such as the middle, regardless of the size ofthe piece.

Still another object is to. provide a folder of the foregoing generalcharacter which is of novel mechanical nature, and unusually effective.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings:

FIG. I is a vertical longitudinal view of the apparatus, partiallydiagrammatic in nature;

FIG. 2 is a side view, also semidiagrammatic in nature, of a conveyormeans for conveying the pieces through the folder, and sensing means inassociation therewith;

FIG. 3 is a view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

1 FIG. 4 is a diagram of the main portion of the circuit utilized in theapparatus;

FIG. 5 is a view semidiagrammatic in nature including means for sensingthe laundry pieces moving through the folder and elements associatedtherewith and controlled thereby; and 1 FIG. 6 is an end view taken atline 6-6 ofFlG. 5.

Reference is now made in detail to the accompanying drawings, certainFIGS. of which are substantially identical to, or similar to, certainFIGS. of the parent application identified above, according to thefollowing correlation:

This application Parent application FIG. 1 1=1o. 1

FIG. 4 ---FlG. 13

FIG. 5 rro. 25

FIG. 6 -FIG. 26

In the present instance FIGS. 1 and 4 are identical with thecorresponding FIGS. of the parent application except that for thepurposes of clarity, certain of the reference numerals and otheridentifications in the parent application are omitted in the present;FIG. 2 of the present application is generally similar to thecorresponding FIG. of the parent application but it includes additionalelements; FIGS. 5 and 6 are identical with the corresponding FIGS. ofthe parent application; the reference numerals utilized in the presentapplication are the same as those utilized in the parent application,for the corresponding elements.

The apparatus including the features of the present invention isindicated in its entirety at 30 and includes two main units, namely afolder per se 32 and a stack table 34 which is a separate unit from thefolder and preferably detached therefrom, but the two cooperate togetheras a single apparatus.

As disclosed in the parent application, the folder unit 32 includes asits main components a feedboard 36, conveyor means indicated in itsentirety at 38 and made up of a pair of successive conveyors utilized inmaking a quarter fold, additional conveyor means indicated in itsentirety at 40 utilized in making a french fold, an extension conveyor42, an intermediate or pickup conveyor 44 and a final or deliveryconveyor 46. Other elements or components are also utilized inconjunction with the foregoing components, as will be describedhereinbelow. In the normal operation of the apparatus, the operatorplaces the laundry pieces 47 on the feedboard 36 and they proceed nextonto the quarter fold conveyor means 38 or the french fold conveyormeans 40 according to the predetermined setting of the unit, and thenproceed along the remaining conveyors until they reach the deliveryconveyor 46 which, in conjunction with other elements, drops the foldedlaundry pieces onto the stack table 34.

In further explanation of the conveyance of the laundry pieces throughthe folder, the control of the laundry pieces as to whether they proceedalong the quarter fold conveyor means 38 or the french fold conveyormeans 40 is determined by the setting of the conveyor section 66; ifthat section is in its lower position as shown in full lines in FIG. 1,the laundry pieces proceed from the feedboard 36 onto that section 66,and along the conveyor means 40; on the other hand if that section is inits upper position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, the laundrypieces proceed along the conveyor means 38. The arrangement whichincludes those two conveyor means, 38, 40, is covered in the parent caseidentified above and does not as such enter into the operation of thepresent invention.

Regardless which path, i.e. the conveyor means 38 or the conveyor means40, along which the laundry pieces proceed, they are delivered onto theextension conveyor 42, in conjunction with which the apparatus of thepresent invention is preferably directly associated, as explained morefully hereinbelow.

In the normal operation of the folder, the laundry pieces are folded, asby a cross fold, or a quarter fold after proceeding beyond the extensionconveyor 42, also described hereinbelow. In the progress of the laundrypiece along the conveyor means, the leading edge thereof passes over agap 182 between that conveyor and a fluted roll I84 just beyond the gap,and onto a curved apron 186. When the folding operation takes place, asdescribed hereinbelow, a folding blade 192 is moved upwardly through thegap 182 and forms a crease and cross fold in the laundry piece, and thecrease, forming a new leading edge, is moved upwardly into the bight 210in the conveyor means 44 and the piece is then gripped by the belts ofthat conveyor means and carried thereby into the final conveyor means46. The laundry piece is thereupon delivered onto the stack table 34 orelsewhere in a manner not pertinent to the present invention. Thepresent invention is directed to the operation of the folding means atthe gap 182, by means of the blade 192, and in this connection it is tobe explained that FIG. 1 includes means for controlling the foldingmeans which is not utilized in the present invention although it may beincluded in the physical structure thereof, and disabled. That foldingcontrol means includes a microswitch 188 having a finger 187 extendingthrough a slot in the curved apron I86 engageable by the leading edge ofthe laundry pieces. The

microswitch 188 is carried by an arm 190 which is swingably adjustableto different positions for determining the position of the fold of thepieces, However this microswitch 188 is relocated in the control meansof the present invention, and actuated as described hereinbelow.

FIG. 1 also shows a deflecting device 198 which does not enter into thepresent invention. This deflecting device includes prongs projectablethrough the extension conveyor 42 for deflecting the laundry pieces fromthe gap 182, and the folding means, and deflecting them directly intothe pickup conveyor 44. In FIG. 1 this deflecting means is shown in fulllines in active position in which it deflects the pieces as justreferredto, and in inactive position in dotted lines in which it iswithdrawn from the upper surface of the intermediate conveyor 42, and inthat case the laundry pieces are conveyed the full length of theconveyor 42 and thus into operating engagement with the sensing meansassociated therewith as described hereinbelow.

The sensing means utilized in the construction of the present inventionmay be located at any of various positions along the line of progress ofthe laundry pieces through the folder, and it has been found that a mostconvenient location is in or at the intermediate conveyor 42 for thereason that all of the laundry pieces are conveyed on that conveyorregardless of other treatment of the pieces in the handling of them inthe folder. The intermediate conveyor 42 may be of any desired length,since its length as such does not enter into the function of the folderin the conveyance of the laundry pieces from the conveyor means 38 or40, and the conveyance of them after leaving the conveyor 40 such asbeing delivered into the pickup conveyor 44. Thus the conveyor means 42may be of a relatively great length such as represented in FIGS. 2 and3. In these FIGS. the conveyor 42 is of much greater length and theyinclude the switches 400 and 402 incorporated in FIG. 22 of the parentapplication. As represented in FIGS. 2 and 3 the laundry pieces movefrom left to right as indicated by the arrow 399, this being also fromleft to right as oriented in FIG. 1, and in this case the switch 400 isfirst engaged by the laundry pieces and then the switch 402, theseswitches having fingers 401 and 403 respectively extending through andabove the upper run of the conveyor means 42 for engagement by thelaundry pieces conveyed on that conveyor.

The same two switches 400 and 402 are incorporated in the constructionof the parent application and in that case they control thecorresponding components of each of the various folding means utilizedtherein, one of which is the control means of FIGS. 5 and 6 in thepresent instance. This control means is of novel mechanical nature andincludes a constantly operating motor 408, having a drive shaft 410 withsmall and large driving pulleys 412 and 414 thereon. Trained on thesepulleys are belts 416 and 418, one of them being twisted, which are alsotrained on driven pulleys 420 and 422 slidably and rotationally mountedon a driven shaft 424. The driven pulleys 420 and 422 have frictionclutch elements 426 and 428 thereon engageable respectively with drivenelements or discs 430 and 432 fixed on the driven shaft 424. The drivenpulleys 420 and 422 are slidable together by an arm 434 biased to aneutral position by springs 436, but swung in one direction or the otherby solenoids 438 and 440 which in turn are controlled by switches 400and 402 identified above. One of the discs, e.g., 432, is provided witha finger 442 arranged for actuating the microswitch 188 identified abovefor controlling the folding blade 192.

In the operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 5 and 6, as a laundry pieceis placed on the conveyor and it engages the first switch 400 itenergizes the solenoid 438. The solenoid draws the arm 434 and shiftsthe pulley 420 into driving engagement with the corresponding disc 430which in turn rotates the driven shaft 424 and advances the finger 442from its normal stationary position indicated (FIG. 6) in an arbitrarilyselected direction such as clockwise. When the laundry piece thenengages the finger of the second switch 402, the solenoid 440 overpowersthe first solenoid 438 and draws the arm 434 in the opposite direction,withdrawing the driven pulley 420 from its driven disc and shifting theother driven pulley 422 into driving engagement with the disc 432.Because of the larger size of the driving pulley 414 relative to theother pulley 412, the driven shaft 424 is driven at a correspondinglygreater speed, such as twice the speed, in the opposite direction, andthe finger 442 is moved back (counterclockwise) at a greater speed untilit actuates the microswitch 188. The resulting folding operation is thatthe faster travel of the actuating finger 442 produced by the largerpulley 414 effects the folding step at an intermediate position, such asthe middle. Upon removal of the laundry piece from the conveyor theswitches 400 and 402 move to their normally open position. The foregoingcycle is repeated in response to another laundry piece again progressingalong the conveyor.

In the operation of the device the disc 432 may be prepositioned forcorrespondingly positioning the finger 442 relative to the switch 188,and preferably is so positioned closely adjacent that switch. If it isdesired to fold the piece in the middle, the pulley 414 would be twicethe size of the pulley 412, and the rearward or retracting movement ofthe disc 432 would be twice that of its forward movement. Either of thepulleys 412 or 414 could be interchangeable so as to provide a pulley ofdifferent size so that the two pulleys then would not be same 2 to 1ratio but of different ratios whereby to fold the pieces at differentpositions relative to their leading and trail ing edges.

It will be understood that the microswitch 188 upon actuation thereofeffects actuation of the folding blade 192 by suitable means such asthat disclosed in my prior patent referred to above.

lclaim:

1. A laundry folder comprising conveyor means for conveying laundrypieces singly and successively therethrough, the conveyor meansincluding a component over which all of the laundry pieces are conveyed,a pair of anterior and posterior electric switches associated with saidconveyor component and having actuating elements extending thereabovefor engagement and actuation by the laundry pieces passing over thatcomponent, folding means operatively associated with said conveyorcomponent and when actuated operative for forming a fold in each laundrypiece at a predetermined position relative to that conveyor component,control means for controlling the folding means and in turn controlledby said electric switches, said control means including a constantlyoperating motor and a pair of driving pulleys of different sizes, a pairof driven pulleys, belts interconnecting the corresponding driving anddriven pulleys and one of the belts being twisted relative to the otherfor correspondingly driving the driven pulleys in opposite directions, adriven shaft, discs mounted on the driven shafts, clutch means mountedon each driven pulley, means for shifting the driven pulleys and theclutch means thereon into clutching engagement with the respectivedriven discs, each to the exclusion of the other, switch means forcontrolling the folding means, an actuating finger on one of the drivendiscs operative for actuating the switch means, the first switch meansin the conveyor means being operative for energizing the first clutchmeans operating at a slow speed and thereupon energizing the secondswitch means for correspondingly energizing the second clutch means fordriving the driven member at a greater speed and in the oppositedirection, the second driven element being operative upon continuedmovement in driven direction for actuating the switch means forcontrolling the folding means.

2. A laundry folder comprising means for conveying laundry piecestherethrough, means for folding the laundry pieces in their progressalong the conveying means, means for controlling the folding meansincluding an actuatable member having a normal inactive position andmovable into an active position, an actuator movable in a firstdirection away from the actuatable member and in the opposite directiontoward and into actuating engagement therewith, driving means for movingthe actuator in each direction and in said opposite direction at afaster rate than in said first direction, and means for controlling thedriving means including a first and second sensing means at theconveying means spaced longitudinally therealong and operatively engagedsuccessively by the laundry pieces, the sensing means being operativelyassociated with respective ones of the driving means for said first andopposite directions. t

3. A laundry folder according to claim 2 wherein the driving means is ofelectrical character, and the sensing means include switch means witharms projecting into the path of the laundry pieces on the conveyingmeans.

4. A laundry folder according to claim 2, wherein the driving meansincludes a pair of motion transmitting members running constantly, inopposite directions, and at different speeds, said motion transmittingmembers being mounted as a unit and so shiftable selectively intoclutching engagement with the actuator, and means responsive to controlof said sensing means operative for shifting said motion transmittingmembers in respective directions.

5. A laundry folder according to claim 4 wherein the driving meansincludes a pair driving and driven pulleys with belts drivinglyinterconnecting them in relatively twisted attitudes for providingopposite direction of movement in the driven pulleys.

6. A laundry folder comprising means for conveying laundry piecestherethrough, means for folding the laundry pieces in their progressalong the conveying means, means for energizing the folding meansincluding driving means incorporating a pair of electrical switch meanshaving sensing elements positioned for sequential actuation by thelaundry pieces moving along the conveyor, a pair of mechanical clutchmembers running in opposite directions and at different speeds, andmeans actuated by the switch means including a mechanical member movingaway from the switch means and moving reversely into actuatingengagement with the switch means in respectively opposite directions.

1. A laundry folder comprising conveyor means for conveying laundrypieces singly and successively therethrough, the conveyor meansincluding a component over which all of the laundry pieces are conveyed,a pair of anterior and posterior electric switches associated with saidconveyor component and having actuating elements extending thereabovefor engagement and actuation by the laundry pieces passing over thatcomponent, folding means operatively associated with said conveyorcomponent and when actuated operative for forming a fold in each laundrypiece at a predetermined position relative to that conveyor component,control means for controlling the folding means and in turn controlledby said electric switches, said control means including a constantlyoperating motor and a pair of driving pulleys of different sizes, a pairof driven pulleys, belts interconnecting the corresponding driving anddriven pulleys and one of the belts being twisted relative to the otherfor correspondingly driving the driven pulleys in opposite directions, adriven shaft, discs mounted on the driven shafts, clutch means mountedon each driven pulley, means for shifting the driven pulleys and theclutch means thereon into clutching engagement with the respectivedriven discs, each to the exclusion of the other, switch means forcontrolling the folding means, an actuating finger on one of the drivendiscs operative for actuating the switch means, the first switch meansin the conveyor means being Operative for energizing the first clutchmeans operating at a slow speed and thereupon energizing the secondswitch means for correspondingly energizing the second clutch means fordriving the driven member at a greater speed and in the oppositedirection, the second driven element being operative upon continuedmovement in driven direction for actuating the switch means forcontrolling the folding means.
 2. A laundry folder comprising means forconveying laundry pieces therethrough, means for folding the laundrypieces in their progress along the conveying means, means forcontrolling the folding means including an actuatable member having anormal inactive position and movable into an active position, anactuator movable in a first direction away from the actuatable memberand in the opposite direction toward and into actuating engagementtherewith, driving means for moving the actuator in each direction andin said opposite direction at a faster rate than in said firstdirection, and means for controlling the driving means including a firstand second sensing means at the conveying means spaced longitudinallytherealong and operatively engaged successively by the laundry pieces,the sensing means being operatively associated with respective ones ofthe driving means for said first and opposite directions.
 3. A laundryfolder according to claim 2 wherein the driving means is of electricalcharacter, and the sensing means include switch means with armsprojecting into the path of the laundry pieces on the conveying means.4. A laundry folder according to claim 2, wherein the driving meansincludes a pair of motion transmitting members running constantly, inopposite directions, and at different speeds, said motion transmittingmembers being mounted as a unit and so shiftable selectively intoclutching engagement with the actuator, and means responsive to controlof said sensing means operative for shifting said motion transmittingmembers in respective directions.
 5. A laundry folder according to claim4 wherein the driving means includes a pair driving and driven pulleyswith belts drivingly interconnecting them in relatively twistedattitudes for providing opposite direction of movement in the drivenpulleys.
 6. A laundry folder comprising means for conveying laundrypieces therethrough, means for folding the laundry pieces in theirprogress along the conveying means, means for energizing the foldingmeans including driving means incorporating a pair of electrical switchmeans having sensing elements positioned for sequential actuation by thelaundry pieces moving along the conveyor, a pair of mechanical clutchmembers running in opposite directions and at different speeds, andmeans actuated by the switch means including a mechanical member movingaway from the switch means and moving reversely into actuatingengagement with the switch means in respectively opposite directions.